In the harvesting and marketing of Christmas trees, particularly from large tree farms, the trees are cut, trimmed and compactly bundled for shipment with the branches folded umbrellawise and tied closely along the stem or trunk of the tree. The trees are then shipped in bulk by the farmer to supermarkets and other comparable outlets for display and sale to customers. While the trimming and bundling of trees on a mass basis has presented its special problems, one of the chief difficulties in the successful retail merchandising of trees resides in the effective display of individual trees. As is well known, individual customers tend to be very choosy about a Christmas tree which seems to be a very personal thing, the shape, size and other characteristics of which have special significance to individuals. Consequently, in order to sell Christmas trees effectively, it is really quite necessary that the individual trees be separately displayed in the opened-up or natural standing position for viewing. The problem of providing economically and practically feasible commercial Christmas tree display stands for supermarkets and like commercial usage has been a deterent or obstacle to complete success in such ventures.
In order to display a large number of trees in natural standing position for commercial purposes, it is necessary that the trees be properly spaced from each other and yet not so greatly as to occupy undue amounts of room. It is important that each tree be viewable from different sides so as to permit a complete inspection, that the display stand be sturdy and stable against upset by winds or jostling of customers, and that each display stand tree holder unit be so adapted that once a tree is sold from it, another tree may be quickly positioned and secured in its place. It is also important in such a venture that the display stand be inexpensive to manufacture and that it employ easily assembled and easily disassembled components that can be compactly organized for shipment to the distributor at minimum cost. A further consideration in the provision of commercial Christmas tree display stands for the described purposes is that the same be assembled from components which are sufficiently inexpensive to permit discarding them after use if desired. It is also desirable to provide a structure concept for multiple tree display stands which may be assembled in a variety of geometric forms suiting the spaces available in supermarket lots and similar display areas.
Still another consideration in achieving an effective Christmas tree display system is that of minimizing and simplifying the operations which the merchandiser must perform in setting up the trees in the display stand without unduly adding to the farmer's cost in preparing the trees. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the tree is prepared with a nail-like element driven into the side of the trunk of the tree at a selected distance from its butt end that it can cooperate with elements of the display stand in supporting the tree in upright position. This nail-like element is conveniently applied to the tree at the time the trees are packaged at the tree farm and remains in the tree throughout its useful life. In fact the same nail may be utilized, in accordance with a collateral objective of the invention, in cooperation with an individual home tree stand adapting certain principles of the commercial stand inexpensively to displaying the tree in the customer's own dwelling. Here again, the objective is to enhance convenience with which trees are displayed for sale and are then mounted for use and display in the home. Moreover, in further accord with this collateral objective, there is provision for an individual Christmas tree stand wherein the butt of the tree can be supported with its butt immersed in a bucket of water. In this same regard, it is believed to be a common experience that in many homes the resurrection and reconditioning of "last year's" Christmas tree stand or the home workshop manufacture of a new one each Christmas season can be a chore with some vexation such that if there can be provided, as herein, an inexpensive display stand unit unsable with a standard water bucket, a valuable service will have been rendered.